Men's Soccer Story

Weekend win a confidence boost for Trojans

Curtis Taylor

Polytechnic Press

The SAIT Trojans Men’s soccer team went into this weekend in desperate need of a win to keep pace in the ACAC playoff race.

With the regular season only consisting of 10 games, time was working against the Trojans to get into the win column.

After losing a hard fought game against Red Deer on Saturday, the team bounced back Sunday against Lakeside to record their first win of the season by a score of 1-0.

The win was a big confidence boost for the Trojans, and it gives them some momentum heading into Saturday’s matchup with Lethbridge.

“It was a huge win.  It was great for morale,” said Seamus Smyth, a first year defender for the Trojans. “

The two teams traded chances in a scoreless first half, but it was the Trojans who finally broke through in the 75^th minute on a lucky bounce.

Midfielder Jaron Broom’s corner kick got caught up in the wind and eluded the Lakeside goaltender, giving the Trojans a lead they would never relinquish.

It was a long overdue break for the Trojans, who played hard in their first two games but just weren’t getting any bounces.

“In the Red Deer game we had some tough breaks against us, goals that just trickled over the line,” said Smyth. “I think we definitely deserved that break against Lakeside.

For a team with so many new faces, a road trip may have been just what the doctor ordered for the Trojans to gain some familiarity amongst each other both on and off the field

“It’s a good group of guys, from all over the map,” said Smyth. “Everybody’s here to play, and everybody has a love for the game.”

When the team was put together three weeks ago, there was a strong sense of unfamiliarity amongst the players.

And while it may have taken a little while to learn one another’s name and playing style, the Trojans seemed to have developed some chemistry amongst the players and it is starting to show on the field.

The big difference for the Trojans in both games this weekend was their ability to generate more offense.

“Everybody is playing stronger to their positions, and conditioning has definitely improved amongst the team,” said Smyth. “Everybody is coming familiar with the way each other plays.  It think we are starting to realize that we do have a strong team, from our offense right to our goaltending.”

While things are starting to look up for the Trojans, there is still plenty of work to be done until this team can be considered a legitimate contender within the ACAC conference.